Although Snape wore a look of "Are you trying to fool me?" that evening, the allure of the Arctic mermaid oil was too tempting for him to resist. He set up another cauldron beside Orli's and began tackling the "assignments" she handed him from scratch.
In less than half a month, he had already caught up with Orli's progress. Nearly all the potions covered in Hogwarts' first to seventh-year curriculum were successfully brewed on his first attempt. Only a few obscure ones, or those he deemed not perfect enough, required a second try. However, upon reaching the level of a potions apprentice, many tasks involved brewing potions that took weeks or even months, which brought their progress nearly in sync.
Although his assignments hadn't yet involved more lost recipes or rare potion ingredients, the double portions of materials provided by these tasks had already filled the storage room of the old house to the brim. Thanks to these materials, their research on the Wolfsbane Potion continued to make significant progress, sparing them the need to purchase additional ingredients.
Snape did harbor suspicions about the source of these tasks and potion materials, but he assumed it was all tied to the Waters Family. After all, such a systematic approach to tasks seemed ideal for nurturing young talents, resembling a family trial, so he refrained from probing further.
The summer days passed quickly. Orli took some time every week to write letters to Hermione, Ron, and Harry, and she had already received their fifth reply. This time, all three of their letters were written together and delivered by Hedwig.
(Hermione's handwriting)
"Dear Orli,
I've arrived at Ron's house and am staying with Ginny. Harry and Sirius arrived yesterday, and my ears are still ringing from all the commotion—after an entire evening, I only managed to write three inches of my essay. Concentrating is impossible. Believe me, when Sirius, Fred, and George are under the same roof, it's nothing short of a disaster of the century. But we'll soon be heading to the Quidditch World Cup together. Mr. Weasley's tent can fit several rooms inside; it must involve some intricate spatial magic. I really wish our school would teach us things like this..."
(Next is Ron's handwriting)
"Alright, my turn. You really should've come, Orli. You've missed out on a lot of fun. Yesterday, Dad and Sirius took me, Fred, and George to pick up Harry from the Dursleys'. Their fireplace was sealed shut, so Sirius used a blasting charm, causing a little 'incident' in their living room. Fred deliberately dropped a few Ton-Tongue Toffees on the floor, and Harry's pig-like cousin sneaked one, making his tongue grow over a foot long... Mum was furious. Don't mention it in front of her, or Fred and George will be in big trouble—they've been busy this holiday tinkering with prank products and have received quite a few orders. Oh, and Percy officially got hired by the Ministry of Magic, which is the only annoying thing."
(Then comes Harry's handwriting)
"Hi, Orli. I really hope you're doing well. It's such a pity you can't come to the Quidditch World Cup. Sirius and I have safely arrived at The Burrow. Bill and Charlie are here too. They'll Apparate to the venue, while we'll use a Portkey. It's so cool; it's my first time using one. I hope it's more comfortable than Floo Powder—you know what I mean. They've chosen a Muggle camping site for the event, so everyone has been fussing over how to dress more like Muggles. Hermione has been tirelessly giving everyone advice—except me, of course. I've heard there will be many stalls selling souvenirs and toys. Which Quidditch team do you like the most? I can bring something back for you."
At the end of the letter, the signatures read: Hermione, Ron, Harry. The three names were stacked together in a quirky manner. Orli finished reading the letter and couldn't help but laugh.
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